Empaths and MBTI type

[Amargith]

Can we ease up on the newb, please?
Also, I believe there has been some research regarding Mirror Neurons on this front? Its still a new field though, so i personally prefer to keep an open mind on this stuff.

 

[Smilephantomhive]

My mom was an empath, and INFJ, maybe ISFJ depends on how you define it. I go with INFJ cause of the empath stereotype, and just doesn't seem si. She's traditionalist, but I don't think that's enough for ISFJ.

I'm not an empath.

 

[Forever]

I’m an empath and HSP.

Every environment has its flavor.

The thing about being an empath is that you need to know when to open and close the gate and not let every situation or moment tell you who you are. Because of being an empath I live a chaotic life sometimes confusing both the thoughts and emotions of others as my own.

It used to be so bad, that I’d end up doing nothing all day except wallowing in confusion and suffering from unknown anxieties and melancholy.

Everyday back then felt like a testament on how frail and weak the human race is behind the stone cold faces. Now since I closed it. I can enjoy a bit more time not having to latch insecurity all the time.

The thing about my empathy is that I heal in an unnoticeable fashion, people will get naturally get better over with me but it’s subtle no one could really say to me. “You made me feel better”

I learned to live with my gift over time.

 

[Riverfairy]

I’m an empath and HSP.

Every environment has its flavor.

The thing about being an empath is that you need to know when to open and close the gate and not let every situation or moment tell you who you are. Because of being an empath I live a chaotic life sometimes confusing both the thoughts and emotions of others as my own.

It used to be so bad, that I’d end up doing nothing all day except wallowing in confusion and suffering from unknown anxieties and melancholy.

Everyday back then felt like a testament on how frail and weak the human race is behind the stone cold faces. Now since I closed it. I can enjoy a bit more time not having to latch insecurity all the time.

The thing about my empathy is that I heal in an unnoticeable fashion, people will get naturally get better over with me but it’s subtle no one could really say to me. “You made me feel better”

I learned to live with my gift over time.

I lived the same thing. Anxieties and even other's anger... but now it's a whole different story.

Turns out I have HSP too, was just told the other day what it is.

Yeah when it's subte there's no acknowledgement from others but inner acknowledgement is all that is needed.

 

[Riverfairy]

Can we ease up on the newb, please?
Also, I believe there has been some research regarding Mirror Neurons on this front? Its still a new field though, so i personally prefer to keep an open mind on this stuff.

I found an article by A PhD student from harvard written in 2016

"Mirror neurons have begun to assume a humbler identity than was initially theorized, but it is important to remember that despite recent criticism, their activity may still play an important role in many behaviors. For instance, even Gregory Hickok, perhaps the most prominent critic of the hype surrounding mirror neurons, accepts that they probably play a role in enabling imitation, given that there must be some mechanism in the brain that converts an observed action to a series of muscle commands. Much research remains to be done; for instance, there has yet to be a study that specifically disables mirror neurons (an experiment that recent technological advances may make possible in monkeys), which would help to elucidate what exact behaviors rely on these neurons. Now that the hype around mirror neurons has begun to dissipate, it will be interesting to see what role remains for these curious cells."

Mirror Neurons After a Quarter Century: New light, new cracks - Science in the News

I hope they don't do that to monkeys -------- :/

In my opinion, there are some things that once you feel em you can't unfeel em regardless of what science says or has discovered up til now.

Nevertheless, I know that some would need a scientific backing to entertain the idea.

 

[The Cat]

Very Fascinating thread; I'll be enjoying this with great interest, thank you for creating it. ^_^

 

[Radio Bob]

I also have enjoyed this thread from beginning to right here and hope to read more over the coming days. My Thanks to all who have provided their opinions and references thus far.

Radio Bob

 

[natalia93]

Empath; even with logic and reasoning

I'm an INFJ and highly identify with the idea of being an empath, but from what I've skimmed, my understanding goes much deeper than what the present description has been. There are aspects of my experience which I haven't been able to attribute to mirroring, being empathetic, sensitive, etc. I feel 'vibes' from people as soon as they enter the house, whether or not I can see them or even am aware they are in the house at that moment. This isn't always the case, but I have experienced it if the person has a strong enough 'energy' or whatever you want to call it; I'm honestly not sure what to call it at this point. I used to think I was just getting random waves of inexplicable emotion and blamed it on mental stuff, hormones, whatever. However, after seeing a strong correlation that supported it being caused by something outside of myself I began to rethink it. Note; I'm saying CORRELATION, not causation. It could be caused by something else I have yet to discover, but for now this empathic idea makes quite a bit of sense.

I've not yet discovered exactly what my feelings are on how it works, and I haven't decided which logical explanation fits best (if there even is one that we have yet discovered, I'm very supportive of the idea that there are things beyond which our human logic is capable of understanding... we aren't as smart as we think we are and we do NOT have the ability to understand everything through science. This is coming from someone who relies heavily on science too, so don't think I'm not grounded in rational thought to any extent).

Regardless, there are some things that I learned I must accept as true even if I can't concretely understand how it works. The 'leap of faith' idea is completely unnatural to me. The fact that I accept my empathic traits despite not understanding it on a logical level was not easy, but had to be done. If you experience something, even if it seems to defy logic, its hard to deny its existence.

I tried explaining this to my INTJ boyfriend and he was like, uhhhh, right.

I'm thinking most INFJ's can relate to the above described situation. We don't expect the rest of you to understand and don't usually try to explain. But I want to make my truth known to others who are looking for their truth

 

[JAVO]

I'm an INFJ and highly identify with the idea of being an empath, but from what I've skimmed, my understanding goes much deeper than what the present description has been. There are aspects of my experience which I haven't been able to attribute to mirroring, being empathetic, sensitive, etc. I feel 'vibes' from people as soon as they enter the house, whether or not I can see them or even am aware they are in the house at that moment. This isn't always the case, but I have experienced it if the person has a strong enough 'energy' or whatever you want to call it; I'm honestly not sure what to call it at this point. I used to think I was just getting random waves of inexplicable emotion and blamed it on mental stuff, hormones, whatever. However, after seeing a strong correlation that supported it being caused by something outside of myself I began to rethink it. Note; I'm saying CORRELATION, not causation. It could be caused by something else I have yet to discover, but for now this empathic idea makes quite a bit of sense.

I've not yet discovered exactly what my feelings are on how it works, and I haven't decided which logical explanation fits best (if there even is one that we have yet discovered, I'm very supportive of the idea that there are things beyond which our human logic is capable of understanding... we aren't as smart as we think we are and we do NOT have the ability to understand everything through science. This is coming from someone who relies heavily on science too, so don't think I'm not grounded in rational thought to any extent).

Regardless, there are some things that I learned I must accept as true even if I can't concretely understand how it works. The 'leap of faith' idea is completely unnatural to me. The fact that I accept my empathic traits despite not understanding it on a logical level was not easy, but had to be done. If you experience something, even if it seems to defy logic, its hard to deny its existence.

This post describes me and my thoughts precisely, especially the last two paragraphs. As one of the most extreme examples of this, as soon as they walked through the door, I identified the person who would later attempt to steal my wallet as someone who had singled me out for some nefarious purpose. I discreetly but intensely tracked their movements throughout the entire medium-size national park gift shop. Five to ten minutes later, the pickpocket made a failed attempt which was foiled by my wallet being in a more secure location, and by a timely pivot backwards into her. I didn't see her there behind me, but I knew she was there. She and her two accomplices "guarding" the door fled like I had just flashed a badge.

I work as a technical professional in a science-based field. I'm an eNTP 5w4.

 

[BlueScreen]

Hiiiya, Just wondering if anyone on here is an empath? What is your MBTI type? And how does it relate to your type?

Not an empath. Actually, got zero on your questions. I do feel it if a friend is distraught, but I'm unlikely to get distraught too or cry too. My type is ENFP.

 

[SurrealisticSlumbers]

Affirmative to the empath question.

INFP here, so Fi is dominant while Ne is secondary (and in my case, the functions are just about equal). I never could put aside my personal views on something to appease others or get ahead in life. I can't water myself down to please people, either. You like me or you don't. I'm a good listener; always have been. I see others' potential, and I notice patterns in the way others behave and can usually see beyond superficialities into the true "essence" of an individual within a few minutes of conversation. This means that I'm naturally skeptical of someone who appears nice on the surface, or when I'm first getting to know them. Sometimes, the person really does turn out to be the real deal. Many times, they actually suck. I can be a bitch sometimes. It's just because I have a very low tolerance for others' BS. I crave authenticity, and I don't appreciate it when others form opinions or make decisions without doing their research. I read an article somewhere which suggested that because of our Ne, we INFPs are often in a constant state of openness or indecision. It is true that it is hard for me to make choices and stick to them. I am always second-guessing myself, and often don't like to think about the past, as I'm always asking "what if..." Ex: "What if I'd studied [insert marketable major] instead of the arts?" "What if I'd applied to [insert out-of-state college] instead?", et cetera. I live in the future; I make 5-year plans and every six months, tweak those plans as my circumstances change or remain exactly the same. Sometimes your plans fail, and you can't get too precious about it. I've gotten a lot better about "going with the flow" and being gentle with myself when something doesn't work out.

 

[LucieCat]

I'm an ENFP, and I honestly wouldn't call myself an empath. I'm an empathetic person, and I'm good at connecting with the emotions of others, but it's not as visceral an experience as being an empathetic seems to be.

I suppose you could argue that I have empath tendencies. For instance, every once in awhile I'll encounter someone and it's like I can feel an emotion radiating off of them. It's usually stress that I pick up on for whatever reason.

 

[Amberiat]

Being an empath has nothing to do with types, however if we change the question to "Which type is most similar to an empath" my answer would be INFJ. I think 9s and 2s are pretty similar too, depending on wings, health and MBTI type.

 

[LightSun]

I have empathy. I am an INFP. I believe the 'feeler' component of my typology helps me to connect. It helps me to see the world through another person's eyes. That is to say enter their phenomenological-inner universe. I do not know that empathy is a hereditary component or if it could be learned by some through modeling. I would like to query if any 'thinker' has the component of empathy. If 'thinkers' for whatever reason can not employ empathy then it is conducive that they, and everyone else for that matter learn the true art of communication along with practiced listening skills.

 

[Tina&Jane]

I don't consider myself an empath, but I think it's an interesting topic. I've known a couple people in my life who I would consider highly sensitive and highly empathetic, and while I've sometimes heard them talk negatively about it in the sense that it's very draining, I've always though it was a really cool gift to have. How would you describe the different between a highly sensitive person and an empath? Do these traits usually overlap, or can you be one or the other?